My Umbrella
by Narya's Bane
Summary: Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks move their relationship to the next level quite by accident on a rainy night.


A/N: Ok, so I'm stuck on a RL/NT kick. So sue me.

Umbrella

It was pouring rain outside. It was a proper London rain, complete with the fogging and the sheets coming in spurts. Tonks sighed as she looked out from under her umbrella, wishing she could just apparate to Grimmauld Place- just this once. That was impossible, so she had chosen to walk; the buses were becoming annoying, with the amount of time she'd spent on them "investigating" leads on the former Sirius Black case. Her feet were beginning to think she'd made a horrid mistake, however, as they lost their footing and tried to throw her down onto the slickly wet sidewalks around her. She caught herself just in time with a quick spell, traction returning as she trudged forward to her location.

It was about two blocks away that she heard the heavy tread of someone behind her. Auror senses kicked in and she began to weave, only halting when her persuer called her by the terrorizing name saddled on her by an overzealous mother.

"Nymphadora." On his lips, it didn't sound half so bad.

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus," she countered, turning to see the soaked form in tattered clothes. He looked cold and very uncomfortable. "Out for a stroll?"

"I didn't have bus fare," Remus admitted quietly. Tonks felt a pang in her heart. The full moon was last night as well, which explained why the werewolf looked exhausted as well as chilled to the bone. She was used to having her heart do cartwheels- for a variety of reasons- when Remus was around. No matter how much he denied seeing it (and Sirius, who had fit in perfectly as their mediator, said that it was very much denied), Tonks couldn't help but find herself short of breath when he was near her. Today, seeing him so forlorn, she just wanted to reach out and hug him to her.

"You'll catch your death out here." As soon as the words left, Tonks mentally winced. Remus just looked at her amused, unaware of how seeing him like this was affecting her. A car passed, slow and certain, and Tonks reassessed her walking alone. He might be thick, might be completely oblvious to her caring for him, but he didn't deserve to get ill. "Get under here."

"Hmm?"

"Get. Under. Here."

Remus slowly approached, hesitantly sliding under the umbrella with her. Tonks cast a drying charm, and saw him relax- much better. They continued to walk together the last blocks, close to each other in the protective cover of the umbrella. Tonks slid only once more, feeling the strong arm catch her before she landed on the wet pavement. It was comforting, walking with someone; the day wasn't so gray anymore.

"You have my heart, and we'll never be a world apart;  
Well maybe in magazines, but you'll still be my star.  
Baby cause in the dark you will see shiny cars;  
and that's when you need me there.  
With you I'll always share."

Tonks had found the Order meeting quite uninformative, but then that was probably due to the lack of information on Voldemort's current goals. It was likely he wanted the prophecy, one which only he or Harry Potter could hold, but there was nothing more to go on. Other than the continued watches, nothing more could be done. With dreary thoughts and uncertainty, Tonks looked out the window at the rain- which had now strengthened to include lightening bursts.

"Dangerous out there," Sirius commented. "You and Moony can't flue, can you?"

Tonks shook her head. Her flat had no fireplace, and neither did Remus' residence. Without the ability to apparate, they were stuck.

"I'll get Kreacher to make a spot for you."

Sirius sounded a bit happy about the circumstance, which was probably the best way for him to have company. Tonks nodded, turning from the window. "Sounds like a plan."

"So- one bed or two?"

"Pardon?"

"For you and Moony to stay. One or two?"

"I...two, Sirius!"

Padfoot shook his head. "Thought I'd check."

"There's nothing between us."

"James said that about Lily a lot."

"Lily didn't think she was below James," Tonks whispered.

Sirius considered his cousin's daughter for a second before asking, "Will you at least stay his friend, Dora? For me?"

Tonks blinked. "Why?"

"I can't always be around, and I know Remus needs a friend more often than he realizes. Those years alone...they hurt him. Promise me you won't let that happen to him again. Ever."

Tonks thought about that. "I promise, Sirius." In fact, Tonks had made that choice weeks ago, and had told Remus. He'd laughed at the time, but the relief in his eyes had told her enough. She couldn't desert him. Not like that.

Outside, the rain poured down harder.

"Because when the sun shines, we shine together;  
told you I'll be here forever, that I'll always be your friend;  
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end.  
Now that it's raining more then ever, know that we still have each other;  
you can stand under my umbrella."

Sirius went to bed shortly after ensuring a place was ready for his friends, winking broadly at them as he reminded Tonks she had work the next afternoon. Remus had blushed, but still remained beside her long after Sirius had gone upstairs. They chatted comfortably, sharing cups of tea that never emptied, Tonks' eyes fastened securely to Remus at all times.

"You probably would love to live in a house like this," Remus mentioned suddenly. "It is in your family, after all."

Tonks choked on her drink. "Excuse me?"

"All the nice things that you can have..."

"I don't want any of that," Tonks sighed. "I grew up with a muggle father and a blood-traitor mother. We always struggled in some fashion. I enjoyed it that way. That is how I'd want my children raised- to understand the value of everything: wealth, friendship, honesty..."

Remus nodded slowly. "The value of friendship. Very true. Most take their friends for granted. Until..."

Remus let his voice cut off, and Tonks felt the urge to cuddle nearer to him. He'd lost so much...

A single tear ran down his cheek, and Tonks lightly kissed it away. "If you ever need someone to remind you what a friend is worth," she whispered, "I'll be here. Sirius, too."

"What if I don't want you as a friend?" Remus asked quietly. Tonks looked up, meeting a sad smile on his face. "What if I need more than that?"

Tonks leaned into his hold, again feeling his strong arms wrap around her. "Then I'll be more than that."

The next kiss was more fevered, placed by hungry lips on a pair just as desiring. It was about more than comfort, more than friendship- this was a promise, and Tonks wanted to make sure Remus understood it would never be broken. She latched onto him, nestling her head firmly on his shoulder. He wrapped around her, eagerly kissing her neck, cheek, and anywhere else he could get to in that position.

For that moment, they forgot about what was considered proper. The age difference didn't matter- their backgrounds and living conditions melted away. They were two people who desperately needed each other, and that made it right. Both put their hearts in, letting the other know that this was a bond that could not be easily broken.

"Fancy things are never coming in between;  
your a part of my entity, here for infinity.  
When the war has took it's part, when the world has delt it's cards,  
if the hand is hard together we'll mend your heart."

When daylight slid through the windows, trying to illuminate the house of Black, Remus woke with a start. Unlike usual, he found himself not alone; instead, he was being held very comfortably in a pair of surprisingly strong arms. A lock of pink hair, furiously neon in the curls of a bob that hung just below Tonks' ears, fluttered past his vision as memories of the prior evening rushed into his head, causing at once both a smile and a startled gasp.

And after that night, he found himself sheltered in her arms. Remus attempted to slip from her hold, but the Auror was quite demanding, clenching tighter in her sleep and crying out as he left her grasp. She refused to awaken even when he shook her violently, leaving no choice but to nestle in closer to her and grin, grasping on to her arm.

"I love you," he whispered, surprised to find the truth so quickly. It made his head swim... he'd found somebody to spend his life with...

"I love you, too," a murmur answered back, Tonks finally letting her hold go. Her eyes fluttered for a second as she went back to sleep, a now released Remus hesitantly leaving her clutches to change and clean up for the day.

"Because when the sun shines, we shine together;  
told you I'll be here forever, that I'll always be your friend;  
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end.  
Now that it's raining more then ever, know that we still have each other;  
you can stand under my umbrella..."

Remus walked back into the room where Tonks lay sleeping, staring at her just a second before laying back down beside her and wrapping her in his arms. She snuggled in, eyes opening happily to look up at him.

"Morning," Remus greeted.

"Morning," Tonks replied in kind.

Heavy steps rang down the staircase, both turning abruptly to see Sirius entering and looking at his two friends. "Good morning. So..."

"So." Tonks had found her voice first, guilty words moving out.

"So." Remus caught up finally, blushing profusely.

"Nothing happening between you, eh?" Sirius chuckled.

"Well..." Tonks shrugged.

"I didn't mean to, it wasn't as if, I don't..." Remus attempted to recover his sanity.

"I'm glad," Sirius whispered. "You need each other. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Sirius left the room, leaving them together- alone- staring at each other in shock.

"We shouldn't have..." Remus tried.

"I'm not sorry," Tonks interrupted.

"But I can't give you what you deserve, Tonks."

"I don't care about what you think I deserve, Remus Lupin. I've been wanting to love you- let me love you."

Remus stalled, unsure how to answer the gentle plea. "I'm going to try to let you down," he explained. "I will rant and rail against you, try to turn you away."

"I won't listen."

Tonks had such a sweet smile, such honesty to her, Remus had to smile. "Then I'll be waiting for you at the end."

"You can run into my arms, it's okay don't be alarmed;  
Come in to me.  
Go on and let the rain pour, I'll be all you need and more."

Tonks didn't want to leave for work. If she left, she thought, Remus would go back to his usual hesitant self and keep ignoring her. And today it was so different! He held her, smiled with her, laughed...

But work had to be done. When Remus kissed her good-bye at the door, it was electrical. It let her hop down the streets, still damp but by no means wet with the rain of the previous night. She reminded herself of every little vow, every promise she had made, and made one more to herself: to hold each of them up higher than any she had before lived to fulfill. She would be every inch the loyal Hufflepuff, would shine out.

After all, she was no longer alone.

"Because when the sun shines, we shine together.  
Told you I'll be here forever, that I'll always be your friend;  
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end.  
Now that it's raining more then ever, know that we still have each other;  
You can stand under my umbrella-  
You can stand under my umbrella."


End file.
